ZENON PLECH was the most decorated Polish speedway rider of the 'upright' era. He rode in eight individual World Finals, nine World Team Cup Finals and six World Pairs Finals.

A genuine international superstar of the booming 70s when his spectacular full-throttle style won him admirers wherever he rode.

Popular Plech went oh so close to winning the 'big one' but had to settle for the silver medal (behind Ivan Mauger) in 1979 and bronze behind Mauger and Poland's unlikely first World Champion, Jerzy Szczakiel, in front of another near 100,000 crowd at the same Katowice stadium in 1973.

In this exclusive, in-depth and candid interview with Retro Speedway's Tony McDonald, conducted in his home city of Gdansk in 2012, Zenon shines an intriguing and insightful light on what it was really like being a sporting hero in his former Iron Curtain country, where he starred for Stal Gorzow andWybrzeze Gdansk.

The youngest ever Polish Champion (aged 19 in 1972), he reflects on how he briefly escaped the harsh communist regime to taste success and adulation in far flung countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the USA - and the escapades he and his compatriots got up to when shackles were loosened.

'Plechy' also recalls with great affection his five seasons in the British League with Hackney, where he was a great crowd favourite between 1975 and 1981, before a short stint with Sheffield . . . and regrets that the ruling authorities denied him the chance to compete more regularly in the UK.

He talks about Edward Jancarz and the tragic demise of his great friend, rival and fellow countryman. Zenon and Eddie finished runners-up in the 1980 World Pairs Final. Hear what he thinks of modern Polish idols Tomasz Gollob and Jarek Hampel and his fears for the future of speedway in Poland.

Find out, too, what became of this Polish track legend after his glittering racing career ended in 1987.

Includes footage from 35 races, including Zenon racing at Hackney, Eastbourne, Ipswich, Wimbledon and international venues Wembley, Gothenburg, Vojens, Eskilstuna, Katowice and rare clips from the 1975 World Team Cup Final at Norden, Germany.

There are also contributions from his former Hackney team-mate Barry Thomas and leading promoters Len Silver and Martin Rogers, who explain why they believe Zenon Plech was such a tremendous asset to British speedway.